Method of and apparatus for trimming projecting fibers



J. H. DAMON July 10,1934.

METHOD OF AND" APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING PROJECTING FIBERS 2 Sheets-Sheet lFiled May 17, 1933 lrivenku' JobuHDanzowz J. H. DAMON July' 10, 1934.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THIMM ING PROJECTING FIBERS Filed May 17,1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,Zw aerator Jolullifla 7:70 73 Patented July 10,1934- PATENT. OFFICE- I METHOD OF APPARATUS FOR TRIM- ltflNG PROJECTINGFIBERS John H. Damon,

to Plymouth Cordage Company,

North Plymouth, Mass., assignor North Plymouth, Mass., a corporation ofMassachusetts Application May 17, 1933, Serial No. 6715449 10 Claims.(01. 118-51) This invention relates to improvements in methods of andapparatus for trimming projecting fibers. j 1

While it-may be employed for trimming the surfaces of various kinds offibrous bodies, it has particular utility for loose fiber ends onthreads, yarns, cords, strands and the like;--fo'r which the term "twineis herein used as a convenient generic term. Such a trimming improvesthe appearance of the twine, eliminates difficulties which sometimesarise when loose fiber ends become bound or entangled with other partsof a ball, and has other advantages, one of which is that it makespossible an increase of the speed at 'which'the flyer works in twistingor winding, and therefore an increase of rate of production, and anotherof which is that the desired trimming may be accomplished in connectionwith ordinary fiber-twisting mech-' anism.

The invention provides for utilizing centrifugal'force for the extendingthe stiffening, and the cutting of loose fiber-ends.

Binder twine, made of hemp, sisal and the like hard and relativelycoarse vegetable fibers, in the style in years, presents an extremeexample of disfigurement by loose, projecting fibers. The invention willbe disclosed herein as applied for clearing binder twine.

During the twisting of hard fibers, the loose ends cause greatannoyance. The difficulty of removing them usually results in theirbeing left on the twine; but their-presenceresults in the fiyer beingoperated at a speed considerably below its mechanical capacity, withconsequent slowing'down of production.

Among the various proposals madeheretofore for clearing loose fiberends, one theory has been that fibers drawn over a fixed cutter would beshaved. In practice, however, they become to a considerable extentpressed against the body of; yarn. Whatever success this method attainswith soft fibers, such as cotton, becomes a failure for hard fibers suchas hemp and sisal. The latter have had to be out, if at alltas aseparate operation, by running the twine past a shearing mechanism; andeven. then many ends do not get caught by the shear; but remain asdisfig uring elements on the'twine.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide for thecutting of loose ends of fibers, from twine and other like formations,of all sorts of fibers, effectively, completely and 'efliciently; 1

which it has been known for many t This ensures that practically Anotherobject is thus to clear the twine while it is on the twisting flyer,thereby permitting a speeding up of the flyer to the limit of mechanicalexpediency.

One feature provides a guard for my improved cutting device, whichserves as a protector against injury to workmen.

' Another provides means to restrain ballooning of the twine on theflyer, cooperating to some extent with the cutter'as a shearing blade.

And it is an important feature that the invention is adapted forembodiment in any rotatable fiber-carrying device whose speed ofrotation can be made sufficient for centrifugal force to throw the loosefiber endsout to extended positions.

These objects and results are attained with any ordinary or suitabletwisting mechanism which has a rotatingflyer for carrying the twine,whose fibers a location of axial feed of the fibers to the flyer.Usually the grouped flbers are drawn into the fiyer along a line whichis coextensive with the axis of the flyer; and at the flyer, they areled to an outer rotative portion thereof, and hence are run inward to aspool or bobbin within the flyer, on which the finished twisted twine iswound. The rotation of the fiyer, accompanied by the continual advanceof fibers in,the device, accomplishes the twisting of fibers.

In practice, the twisting is complete by the time the twine gets to thesaid outer portion of the flyer; but loose ends 0,! fibers project fromthe twisted body. In the case of soft fiber material, it has beenpossible to remove a considerable portion of the projecting fibers bythe shaving method hereinbe'fore referred to. But

the shaving of hard fiber material presents such difficulties thatbinder twine for example, usually goes to market with a veritable forestof 'project-' ing and disfiguring fiber ends.

, The invention provides for driving the twisting flyer at such a highspeed as to cause loose ends of fibers to be thrown, by centrifugalforce,

are being twisted together, around to positions of maximum projectionfrom the axis around which the twine is revolving on the flyer. Whilethus projected the outstanding fibers encounter a cutter suitablypositioned and fixed on the supporting frame of the flyer. Preferablythe twisted twine is taken through a course which extends a littledistance along the outer portion of the flyer before turning inward tothe collecting bobbin; and the cutter has suitable length parallel to'the axis so that every point along, the revolving twine passes thecutter more than once. all loose ends will be cleared from the twine,since the twine itself will be slowly rotating on the fiyer, due to theeffect of the twisting of on-coming portions of the twine. Thus if looseends'on the inner side of the twine be not closely cropped, on firstpassing the cutter, these same fibers may be on the outer side of thetwine, toward the cutter, on a subsequent rotation of the fiyer, andwill be cut close to the twine body.

As the speed of the fiyer tends to balloon the length of twin extendingalong it parallel to its axis, a suitable means, provided for preventingsuch ballooning, is made to cooperate with the cutter so as to make thecutting of fibers in effecta shearing cut.

A guard protects the cutter edge when the device is not in use, and ismovable out of the way during the fiber cutting operation.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression inthe appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty exist intheinvention disclosed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan of the fiyer end of a spinning jenny having featuresof the invention embodied thereon;

Figure 2 is an elevation, in section on 22 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is an elevation, in section on 3-3 of Figure 1, on an enlargedscale.

Referring to the drawings, the twisting end of a spinning jenny frame isindicated at 10; and has a usual fiber twisting flyer 12 mountedthereon, with flyer sleeve 14 journalled in bearing 16 on the frame.Theusual twist tube 18 extends within the sleeve 14, leading to the haulpulleys 19, around which the twisted'fiber twine passes on its course toone of the flyer legs 20. In practice, the sliver of fibers proceedingfrom the finishing drawing frame (not shown) is treated to furtherdrawing on a spike gill sheet (not shown) and then passes into acondenser (not shown) from which the condensed mass of fibers 17 entersthe twist tube 18, wherein the fibers of the mass are twisted together.The twisted yarn or twine goes thence around the haul pulleys 19,carried by the flyer on opposite sides of its axis, and then passesoutward to a guide pulley 22 on aleg 20 of the fiyer, thence proceedingalong the leg 20 to a second guide pulley 24 thereon, whence it passesinward toward the fiyer axis where a spool 26, reciprocating along saidaxis, collects the finished product. All of the described mechanism, andthe mechanism for reciprocating the spool 26, may be such as are wellknown in the fiber twisting, or fiber spinning art.

The present invention has particular reference to the method of andmeans for cutting and clearing loose fiber-ends from the twine while itis on the fiyer. It utilizes that same centrifugal force which hithertohas led spinners to run the fiyer at a speed considerably below itsmechanical capacity, in order to minimize its effect in throwing outloose stretches of fiber ends,and so to reduce the prominence of thefiber ends in the finished product. By this invention, on the contrary,it is particularly desirable to enhance the speed of flyer, and therebyto vitalize all loose ends of fibers so as to make them stand outcentrifugally, projecting to a maximum extent, and to energize them withstiffness. This transformation being effected, the loose ends of fibersbecome possessed of suflicient momentum vto decapitate themselves uponencountering a stationary knife.

To this end a knife 28 is mounted on the frame 10, with its cutting edgestanding parallel to the axis of the flyer, and is set adjacent to thestretch 30 of twine between the guide pulleys 22, 24. The knife may besecured on a supporting bracket 32 which in turn is secured to frame 10.The knife edge stands closely adjacent to the cylinder of travel of thestretch 30 of twine; and it is directly in the path of all loose ends offibers which project outward from that part of the twine. By running thefiyer at high speed the cutting of loose end portions of fibers may besubstantially complete, inasmuch as centrifugal force makes each looseportion thrust itself out to position of maximum projection from theaxis of rotation of the fiyer. This elimination of the primary cause foroperating the fiyer below maximum speed and the operating of it athigher speed permits a substantial increase in the output of each fibertwisting mechanism, and the whole train of drawing mechanisms whichprecede it, as compared with prior devices and methods. Also thefinished twine, freed of its rough and ragged appearance, is moreattractive both to purchasers and to users,-the latter because it can bewound into a ball or cop without projecting fibers becoming caughtbetween convolutions of succeeding layers, and making trouble when beingunwound.

High speed of the fiyer tends to cause a centrifugal ballooning of thestretch of twine thereon, between the two guide pulleys 22, 24. Theinvention utilizes this, to an extent; but prevents objectionableballooning of the twine. It provides the restraining clip 34 engagingaround the twine carrying leg 20, at a suitable location near the knife28, which clip may have an arm reaching out and engaging from the underside around the twine, to maintain the twine against being bowedoutward, but to permit it to feed along the flyer in the customary way.The clip 34 may be ahead or behind the knife 28 with respectto thetravel of the twine along leg 20 of the flyer; or it may be, asillustrated, adjacent to the knife, in which case the portion of clipwhich engages the twine cooperates to some extent in making the cuttinga shearing action. By positioning this stretch of twine, as regards itsradial limit from the axis, it both straightens the stretch, and makesit possible to set the blade 28 safely close to this fixed limit, beyondwhich centrifugal force cannot throw the twine body, while permittingcentrifugal force to throw the loose fiber ends out against the knife.

It is preferable that a guard be provided for the knife, and I indicateone such at 36, pivoted at 38 on a bracket '40 which may depend fromframe 10. The guard is yieldingly held in the.

dotted position (Fig. 2) against the knife edge by spring 42, when theknife is not in use, and may be moved away from the knife by anysuitable means, as the thrust rod 44, when the knife is to perform itsfiber cutting function.

The invention may be applied to present types of fiber twisting machinesat small cost, but with substantial increase of efliciency, due to thepermitted increase of operating speed. The improved appearance of thefinished product, and the attaining of that without a separate clearingoperation, are matters of consequence in the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of clearing from fibrous bodies their loose ends offibers, comprising the whlrling of the body at a speed whereby its looseends of fibers are moved by centrifugal force to positions wherein,projecting from the axis of whirling and projecting from said body, theyare by the centrifugal force endowed with taut stifi'ness sufiicient forco-action with a severing blade; and causing said taut projecting looseends of fibers to strike a severing blade outside of the orbit of'thenuclear part of the whirling body, whereby their whirling impact seversthem.

2. The method of clearing from fibrous yarns, strands, ropes, and othertwine, their loose ends of fibers, comprising the whirling of arectilinear portion of the twine about an axis parallel to itself andeccentric to itself, meanwhile moving the twine endwise, with successiveparts of itself becoming said rectilinear portion of the twine; wherebycentrifugal force, generated in the twine byithe whirling, makes theadvancing loose ends of fibers therein stand away from the axis stifliyenough to be severed'by co-action with a cutting blade; and the severingof the said stiffly out-' standing loose ends progressively of the twineat a location outside of the orbit of the nuclear part of the twine.

3. In a fiber twisting device, the combination of a revolving twineguide along which the twine extends parallel to the axis of revolution,with ,a cutter, located adjacent to the orbit of the guide and adaptedto engage and cut end portions of fibers projecting centrifugally fromtwine on the guide, as said guide and twine revolve.

4. In a fiber twisting device, a rotating fiyer having an outer portionalong which the ,twine moves slowly in a direction approximatin gparallelism to the 'axis of the 'fiyer, combined with a cutter fixedadjacent to the orbit of the longitudinally moving twine; means forrotating the fiyer at a high speed whereby centrifugal force moves looseend portions of fibers in the twine outward beyond the orbit of thetwisted body part of the twine; said cutter being located and adapted toengage those portions of fibers of the twine which are thus forced'outward.-

' 5. In a fiber twisting device, a rotating fiyer having a twinecarrying portion mounted eccentrically; and a cutter, fixed in closeproximity to the path of travel of said portion of the fiyer, arrangedand adapted to trim projecting portions of fibers as the fiyer travelspast the cutter. 8. In a fiber twisting device, a rotating fiyer, havingeccentrically-located twine-guiding elements, for positioning a lengthof twine eccentrically, extending in the direction in which the axis ofthe fiyer extends; said elementabeing adapted for the twine to movetherealong in the eccentric positionfand a knife with its edge fixed inposition closely adjacent to the path of revolution of the guided twine;the said knife edge being located and adapted to cut fibers projectedfrom the guided twine by centritugal force.

7. In a fiber twisting device, a rotating fiyer;

having ccentrically-located twine-guiding elements, for positioning alength of twine eccentrically, extending in the directionin which theaxis of the fiyer extends; said elements being adapted for the twine tomove thereaiong in the eccentric position; a knife with its edge fixedin position closely adjacent to the pathof revolution of the guidedtwine; and means in said guide for engaging the body of twine andrestraining that bodyv from being bowed outward by con-- trifugal force,while permitting loose ends of fibers, on said body to movecentrifugally to projecting positions; said knife edge being located andadapted to engage and cut fibers thus projecting as the guided body oftwine travels past it on the fiyer.

8. In a fiber twisting device, a rotating fiyer having ,a twine guidingportion spaced a substantial distance outward from the axis of thefiyer; a blade fixed in close proximity to the path of revolution ofsaid outward portion of the fiyer; and a guard for the blade, movablebetween a position where it shields the blade and anout-of-the-wayposition; said outward portion of fiyer being'adapted tocarry twine; and said blade'being arranged and adapted to trim fibersprojecting from the body of twine which the fiyer carries past theblade.

9. In a fiber twisting device, a rotating fiyer, havingeccentrically-located twine-guiding elements, for positioning a lengthof twine eccentrically, extending in the direction in which the axis ofthe fiyer extends; said elements being adapted for the twine tomovetherealong in the eccentric position; a knife with its edge fixed inposition closely adjacent to the path of revolution of the guided twine;and means comprising asheet of metal with bent edge, engaging aroundsaid body of twine enough to restrain that body from being bowedoutwardby centrifugal force, but'permitting longloose ends of fibers on saidbody to be thrown outward by centrifugal force to projecting positions;said knife edge being located and adapted to engage and cut fibers thusprojecting as the body of twine travels past it on the fiyer; and saidtwine-restraining metal edge being located close to said knife edge tomake the fiber cutting in the nature of a shearing action.

10. In a fiber twisting device, a rotating fiyer having a twine guidingportion spaced a substantial distance outward from the axis of thefiyer; a blade fixed in close proximity to the path of revolution ofsaid outward portion of the fiyer;

a cover for the fiyer; and-means adapted to doact.v with said cover, forguarding said blade,

comprising a guard element, a spring-urging said element to guardingposition, and a push rod latter is closed, whereby the guard elementassumes its blade guarding position. when the said cover is open, and ispushed to and held in nonguarding position by the said cover whenclosed.

JOHN H. DAMON.

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